Now that I’m well past the girly phase in life, I am noticing to my dismay that I am actually starting to like girly things. Like the colour pink. And dresses. And skirts. And ruffles. Oh my!
It’s a bit scary for a former anti-stereotypical girly whims kind of chick, who spent most of her childhood years wearing as much black and brown (any really dark colour honestly) as could be found in my size. Yes, the body shape in relation to clothes available in stores issue sadly started from way too early…
So I have had to learn to accept my growing fascination with all things girly. Some days, it is still such a shock to my core when I actually go to pick a pink shirt or skirt… Hence, my wishlist had to include something with ruffles and I knew a skirt would be in order since most of the other items would be tops.
Off to Google images and the blogs I went in search of the perfect idea to copy cat. And there were several that I liked, but none seemed as awesome as those that used actual ruffle fabric:
- Make It and Love It Ruffly Skirt was the first ruffle fabric skirt I ever saw made by a blogger
- New York & Company Blue Chambray Ruffle Skirt doesn’t actually use ruffle fabric, but the diagonal concept is on!
- Evanity’s Diagonal Ruffle Stripe Tank Why can’t we get those big ruffles here in Barbados?
- Jane Norman Diagonal Ruffle Dress, though nice, also highlights why it is advised to line any ruffle fabric project
- Over at Nap Time Crafters, there’s even a cute baby and toddler sized ruffle skirt, with a yoga style waistband!
For me, horizontal ruffles definitely scream girly, be it small or large ruffles, and I didn’t want the skirt to be in your face frilly, like a six year old should be wearing it. So when I first saw the horizontal or bias-cut application of the ruffle fabric, I was sold on that idea.
And so the Celery Ruffle Skirt was born! With an elastic waistband no less. I am so proud of myself! The best part is that the skirt can be dressed up or dressed down! Love it!
The attachment of a visible elastic waistband is such a bane of my sewing existence. I can never sew it straight whenever I try to put the elastic on top of the fabric. And it annoys me. So I cheat. Yes, I cheat. I use the overlock machine and sew the elastic to the fabric right sides together. It looks just as nice as the fancy outer waistbands to me!
Of course, it was only after I struggled with matching back the rows and making sure the ruffles all lay in the same direction that I came across these truly fantastic tips for sewing with ruffle fabric on Ruffle Fabric’s blog. And yes, I know that some of the edges aren’t in the same direction as the rest, but it still looks cute, right?
But seriously… Which genius invented ruffle fabric? And which genius thought to apply it to apparel? Whoever they are, they deserve an award.
Abbey 3.0 Sewing Birthday Challenge Status: Item 3 Completed!
abbey dabbles 